"This partnership is a culmination of three months of hard work with Rochdale and we are delighted they have agreed to link with us," Saints General Manager Mike Rush said. "The move will give our players the opportunity to continue their development at a higher level and we look forward to watching them progress.

"As part of the move, Ian Talbot, our Under 20s coach, will be taking up the Head Coaching position at Rochdale whilst Ex-Rochdale and GB International Matt Calland will also join the set up as Head of Youth and work with the first team squad.

"Ian, Glynn Walsh and Steve Prescott from Saints and Dave Ramsbottom from Rochdale will be retained to give the Hornets a strong coaching set up which in turn will provide a great player pathway for both clubs and their local players."The new link-up will see up to five dual registered or loan players play for the Championship side to aid their development.

Personally, I am delighted that Matt Calland is on board to provide experience of the Championships and from the local aspect.

Rochdale Hornets and St Helens RFC have agreed a unique partnership between the two clubs. St Helens are one of the most successful clubs in the modern game, winning the Super League, World Club Challenge and the Challenge Cups on numerous occasions.

Rochdale Hornets are one of the game's founding clubs. They have just finished filming a documentary for Channel 4 and their home ground Spotland Stadium has been granted a fixture in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup which will see Fiji take on Ireland.

The partnership will see rising young stars in the St Helens’ squad get the opportunity to play at a professional level on a regular basis. The Saints will supply up to five players for each of Hornets’ games.

Mike Rush, General Manager at St Helens said ‘It will be invaluable competitive experience for players who could be our stars of the future. We have looked at several clubs in Championship and Championship 1, but we really like what we see at Hornets. The quality of Spotland stadium is a big plus for us, and the co-operative members’ basis of the club tells us there is real commitment.’

The ultra modern training facilities at St Helens will be open to the Hornets’ squad to supplement the local venues, and Hornets have agreed with the Saints’ recommendation of up and coming young coach Ian Talbot as heading up the coaching team for the 2013 season. He will be supported by former Hornets favourite Matt Calland, who will become Head of Youth Development at the Spotland outfit.

Saints will also support the squad with coaches in specialist fields such as Strength and conditioning, video analysis and other disciplines. Coaches Glynn Walsh and Rugby League legend Steve Prescott will lead in these areas. Rochdale Rugby League stalwart Dave Ramsbottom completes the impressive coaching set up.

Hornets’ Chairman Mark Wynn said: ‘We are thrilled by this partnership. It is an opportunity not just for Hornets but for Rugby League as a whole in Rochdale. Any ambitious youngster in the town can now see a path which leads right to the very top of the game.

Off the field the partnership will also see shared best practice, assistance with marketing, commercial activities including sponsorship and lottery plus cross ticketing initiatives.’

Personally, I think everyone should take a great big breath and say to themselves "I'll give it a go!"

Of course everyone will have different opinions as to whether this is good, bad or indifferent but I doubt that Matt Calland would have signed up to this if he, along with his massive experience of the game, didn't think it was a goer. We still have Houghy and Rammy on board which I am glad about as they are both local lads and have given good service in the past few years.

Of course some people will have to be let go which is sad but these changes are necessary for the club to enhance its position and to prosper in the future.

What we now desperately need is for everyone to get on board and join the club, join the lottery, and buy a season ticket etc, this will give us the financial clout to get new players on board in a bid for promotion to the Championship at the end of next season.

Pugwash.

Bobbie Goulding is God

DeepakChopra:

"Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask yourself if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future".

The "shared best practice" could be very beneficial to us and I hope that this link up will help to revitalise interest in Hornets throughout Rochdale, particularly with youngsters. Certainly, the club needs to maximise all the promotional benefits at our disposal....starting from now. A pre-season friendly with Saints and an opportunity of our 'duals' to perform against Saints would be a good start. I am sure that with Matt Calland on board the local aspects will be fully exploited - if some 'star' Saints players could be enlisted too - visiting schools and local clubs - the 'buzz' that Hornets need should start to be heard both on and off the field. Go for it!

Says at the bottom of the statement that Saints are also linking with Whitehaven,how many others are they "linking" with? I guess this new format needs to be given time and will hopefully work out for everybody`s sake.

Hope it works out although the Bradford link came to nothing. Not sure how it will work. Will the dual registered players be with us for a while or will they be 4 week wonders that will make it difficult for tactical planning? Pleased with the players that signed again but sorry to hear that Bloomfield & Middlehurst have gone. The new coach needs to start signing some more decent players soon as we need a good squad to get out of this division.

Hopefully there is more meat on the bones this time - we desperately need it to work.

To be perfectly honest the Bratfurt link was only ever a figment of the imagination of the guy who set it up. He didn't last very long and there is nothing at the club as a legacy of his 'involvement' in the club.

This time the whole thing has been thrashed out between the clubs and only now have the clubs reached a final agreement and announced the partnership. I understand that Saints are also in partnership with 'Haven who will be getting help from the Saints U23s whereas we will be getting U20s but that is ONLY as I understand it from talking to other fans and reading the rugby press.

Whether Ian Talbot and the players will be paid by us or Saints or a bit of both I have no idea but the answer must surely have been part of the negotiations between the two parties.

At the end of next season if we have been promoted to the Championship I couldn't give two hoots either way so we should get behind the club in every way possible.

Pugwash.

Bobbie Goulding is God

DeepakChopra:

"Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask yourself if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future".

Jimmy Julie wally and Wynny must be proud of where they have landed the club

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have noticed the stark difference in the tone of your posts HN from when you come on here asking Hornets' fans to support your various events concerning other clubs and when you are having a go at the people who are running Hornets. I'm just amazed that you haven't numbered me amongst them this time, you usually do.

You might be interested to know that Wally, was up for re-election at the last meeting and got, if I remember correctly, 111 votes out of a possible 120, so you would appear to be pi****g into the wind on that particular hobby-horse.

By the way, would that pride be in getting the club to break even for a couple of years, not to be sniffed at, perhaps you'd like to tell the masses about the times Old Co actually broke even except for the year they sold the Athletic Grounds of course!

Pugwash.

Bobbie Goulding is God

DeepakChopra:

"Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask yourself if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future".

Hopefully these are, indeed, exciting times ahead for the club and I am sure that we are all looking forward to the new season with renewed optimism.
I think our elected board and officials deserve special mention for trying something new for the club especially with our financial restrictions.
Its now up to us all to give the club our full support, both on the 'terraces' and financially, the clubs future is in all our hands.

RUGBY LEAGUE WITHOUT ROCHDALE HORNETS IS LIKE AN UNSHARPENED PENCIL, THERES NO POINT?

Hopefully these are, indeed, exciting times ahead for the club and I am sure that we are all looking forward to the new season with renewed optimism.I think our elected board and officials deserve special mention for trying something new for the club especially with our financial restrictions.Its now up to us all to give the club our full support, both on the 'terraces' and financially, the clubs future is in all our hands.

Totally agree, I think we have got the better end if the deal, let's hope we grasp it with both hands and move this club forward

Phil Bull.

Hopefully my post are viewed as positive, and I cannot be held responsible for causing any offence to anyone associated with this message board

I understand that Saints are also in partnership with 'Haven who will be getting help from the Saints U23s whereas we will be getting U20s but that is ONLY as I understand it from talking to other fans and reading the rugby press.

Pugwash.

I don't think that is the case Pugwash because all the SL clubs will be running their own Under 19 teams. I think the players we are talking about are the older fringe players of the SL squad to give them game time because the SL clubs have done away with their reserve league.

I remember when .............................

"It is impossible not to feel a twinge of sympathy for Workington Town, the fall guys this season for the Super League's determination to retain it's European dimension, in the shape of Paris. While the French have had every assistance to survive, the importance of having a flagship in a heartland area like West Cumbria has been conveniently forgotten." - Dave Hadfield - Independent 25th August 1996.